


I spy with my little eye

by SherlockedWarlock



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, No Miraculouses, Not sure how violent this will be, Private Detective!AU, Slow Burn, Someone is going to die I haven't decided who yet, slight angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2018-10-27 19:29:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10815258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockedWarlock/pseuds/SherlockedWarlock
Summary: When Adrien Agreste narrowly avoids a murder attempt, Gabriel Agreste decides to hire the young but talented private eye Ladybug to find whoever it is that wants to hurt Adrien.This is a Private Detective AU basically





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ALRIGHTY. I have absolutely no plan for this fic at all, so expect more tags as I write more on this.

During all of his career, Gabriel Agreste had received threats. In the beginning it was from rivals, usually meaningless threats in the spur of a moment that no one meant to go through with and that were taken back when the rage settled. Gabriel himself had, on occasion, threatened a rival when filled with wrath or devastation over a designing competition not going his way, and he knew that passionate people had a tendency to act, or speak, on impulses. And most of the time, the threats turned into apologies, because most people didn’t mean it. While he might have been cold-hearted concerning his career, he always apologized for his threats to others, because that’s something you simply do. He was above threatening others and not apologizing.

Gabriel was used to it. And as his name became more famous, more influential, he started receiving more serious, anonymous threats. In his own opinion, he handled those threats well, not letting them scare him and simply shrugging it off.

When he got married, he took things more seriously, as his wife started receiving threats. Gabriel’s first step was to hire a bodyguard for Adele, to ensure she would feel safe. Of course, she forced him to hire a bodyguard for himself too. He also started reporting each and every threat to the police, in case something happened to him or, God forbid, Adele.

When Adele announced that she was pregnant, Gabriel updated the house with a more advanced security system, and also hired a third bodyguard. By this time, Gabriel had already experienced several attempts on his life, and he felt the need to protect his wife and their unborn child at all costs.

When Adrien was three years old, someone tried to kidnap him for the first time. Gabriel and Adele were devastated, but also thankful that Michel, nicknamed Gorilla by the small child, had proved himself to be an excellent bodyguard and stopped the kidnapper just in time. Gabriel immediately appointed Michel as Adrien’s personal bodyguard, having the large man at Adrien’s side any time the child left home. He also decided that Adrien would be homeschooled at this point.

When Adele had disappeared, Gabriel had hired a private detective to find her, but to no avail. The private eye couldn’t tell if she had gone willingly or if someone else had done something to her, but since no demands for a ransom showed up, Gabriel assumed that she had left on her own accords. He increased security though, just to be sure nothing would happen to Adrien.

Despite Gabriel Agreste’s effort to keep his son safe, things went wrong.

Adrien had forgotten all about how he was almost kidnapped when he was three. Maybe it was for the best, regarding the boy’s mental health, but it made him quite naive. As long as he could remember, Adrien had thought it was very unnecessary for him to be guarded by Gorilla at all times. As far as he knew, nothing had ever happened to him, and not to his father either. It was true that his mother had disappeared, but Gabriel had informed Adrien that he believed it was her own choice, and that it seemed like nothing serious had happened to her. Adrien didn’t know of any threats his father received, which Gabriel had kept secret from his son, even as he was taken out of homeschooling. Adrien simply didn’t know how terrible humans could be, and never learnt that during school.

* * *

 

“Ugh, I’m going to be late!”

The blonde man was running towards the Eiffel tower with a croissant in his mouth. He had gotten up earlier than usual to sneak past his bodyguard. It didn’t matter to Gabriel Agreste that his son was 20 and living in his own apartment, he still forced the young man to keep Gorilla around, namely in the apartment next door, and to never go out without him. The bodyguard had far too good hearing, and when he was awake he _always_ heard if Adrien headed out, even if he tried to leave through a window.

However, this morning Adrien had outsmarted his bodyguard, at the expense of not eating breakfast, so he had headed to the Dupain-Cheng bakery for a morning croissant, greeting his old classmate Marinette quickly before continuing on his journey. He had plans to meet with Nino at the Eiffel tower, and his detour to the bakery had made him late. Hence Adrien running like a madman.

Thankfully, he wasn’t too late when he had the foot of the monument, and also Nino, in sight. Adrien waved at Nino, and started making his way toward him. _Well, I have to explain and apologize for being late. Should I tell him I stopped by Marinette’s? He always gets a bit weird when I talk about her… Maybe not._

Adrien was lost in thought and didn’t notice when a man in a hoodie started making his way toward the blonde. However, Nino noticed it. _What is that guy doing?_ The musician started walking toward Adrien too. _I have a weird feeling about him_. The blonde man looked up at his friend, waving again, as the hooded guy had closed the distance between them substantially.

 _Why are you getting so close to Adrien?_ Nino, who was not quite as close to Adrien yet, started running, the weird feeling in his gut growing bigger. The blonde’s features showed confusion. _Why is he running? What’s up with that look on his face?_ He didn’t see the stranger approaching from behind him. The hooded man reached Adrien a second before Nino, and pulled out a gun. If he had noticed the dark-haired man earlier, things might have turned out differently for Adrien, but as it were Nino, using his momentum from running, immediately tackled the gunman.

“DON’T YOU DARE YOU FUCK!” Nino screamed at the man as the gun got knocked away. _Thank god I saw him_.

All of his life, Adrien had never thought that things could happen to him. This changed everything, as he suddenly realized why his father was so persistent on keeping his son safe. _That guy… He was going to shoot me?_ Adrien stared in disbelief at the stranger, as Nino pinned the man down and others started shouting. The man had his eyes on Adrien, cold and emotionless. _Why? Why target me?_ Adrien was frozen, only able to watch as things unfolded in front of him. Someone made sure to kick the gun farther from the gunman, Nino was helped by some others to keep the guy restrained, and eventually the police arrived, followed by Gabriel Agreste.

 _He’s going to scold me for going out without Gorilla,_ Adrien thought to himself, still not quite sure what had happened. He was surprised to see his father run straight to him, and hug him tightly. _He’s shaking… Is he crying?_ Suddenly, Adrien became very aware of what had just happened. _I almost got shot. I almost got killed. Oh my god. Oh my god._ The revelation, and the fear it brought, along with the state his father was in, caused Adrien to break down into tears, clinging tightly onto his father and burying his face on Gabriel’s shoulder. Normally, Adrien wouldn’t expect this kind of affection, especially not in public, but Adrien wasn’t normally almost killed. Instead, the Agrestes stood there, tightly hugging each other and crying, as the police officers arrested the hooded guy. Gabriel’s tears were of relief that his son wasn’t dead but also fear, Adrien’s tears were of shock and revelation. _This is why he always insists on me having a bodyguard. This is what he fears._

“Ahem, monsieur Adrien Agreste?” A police officer spoke, but the father and son still stood there, embracing each other. The officer cleared his throat again. Gabriel pulled away from the hug, but kept his arm around Adrien’s shoulder, swiftly using the sleeve of his shirt to dry his cheeks.

“Monsieur Adrien Agreste, we need to bring you to the station for questioning. You can come with us too, monsieur Agreste.” The older Agreste nodded, and the Agrestes got into a police car along with Nino. Gabriel’s head was buzzing.

_I need more than the police to ensure Adrien’s safety. I need a private eye. I need detective Ladybug._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO'S BACK BISCUITS
> 
> THAT'S RIGHT, I ACTUALLY WROTE SOMETHING IT'S A MIRACLE

Marinette wasn’t surprised by the call. In fact, the moment she heard about the attempt on Adrien’s life, she knew that Gabriel Agreste would call her. Or well, she had freaked out when she first heard about it, but after that she started waiting. And the call came. And she answered it.

“Mom, dad, I’m heading to the Agreste mansion, I don’t know when I’ll be back!” Marinette shouted over her shoulder before heading out the back door. She made sure to take all possible turns in hidden alleyways, making sure she couldn’t be traced back to her home, before she stepped onto the main street and started making her way towards Agreste mansion. She had asked Gabriel if he wanted her to hide her presence, but he had told her that it would be no use, everyone would know that he had hired her no matter how much they tried to hide it. And the people on the street, of course they had heard of it all by now, and they all knew where she was headed. When they saw the small woman with the  red coat, black hat, and ladybug-spotted mask, the confirmation spread like wildfire throughout the city. Pictures were taken, and Alya later wrote in an article that those pictures, with Ladybug illuminated by the afternoon sun, were the last pictures ever taken of her. But that’s getting ahead of the story.

Marinette was immediately let into the mansion, and the first thing she noticed was that all the security systems were fully activated. Once she entered, everything locked down. _Gabriel must be terrified if he has gone this far…_

“Mademoiselle Ladybug, this way please.” Marinette realized that she had been gawking at the windows as they were covered by, she could only assume, some kind of bulletproof protection. She followed Gorilla (how many times hadn’t she heard Adrien use that nickname) to a room, which she upon entering realized was Gabriel’s office. Gabriel was sat behind his desk, and Adrien was slumped in a chair in front of it. There was an empty chair beside Adrien’s. Gabriel had looked up when the door opened, and for just a few seconds, Marinette could see the paranoia in his eyes as he inspected her.

“Ladybug, welcome. Feel free to take a seat.” She walked to his desk, and accepted his invitation to sit. She could feel Adrien’s eyes burning on her, and she had to fight to keep her old crush away. This was no time to lose confidence and make a fool of herself. She dared to glance at Adrien, only to find him staring at her, wide-eyed in surprise. It caught her off guard, and she couldn’t help herself.

“What, you’ve never seen a ladybug before?” Marinette managed to keep it playful rather than snarky, which she was pretty sure would have gotten her thrown out of the mansion. Being the protégé of the best private detective in Paris didn’t give her a pass on giving the son of Gabriel Agreste snide remarks. Her comment did however make Adrien blush intensely.

“I-I-I th-thought it was just a-an urban legend, I didn’t know Ladybug actually existed!” Adrien stammered, and turned to his father, obviously amazed that his father somehow had managed to find a myth. Marinette thought that Gabriel almost smirked for a moment, but he quickly composed himself.

“She is very much real, and at the moment she is the best private eye available. There is only so much the police can do, we’re going to need more help. The man who tried to kill you, Théo Barbot, is believed to be a pawn.”

Gabriel turned to Marinette.

“That’s why we need you, Ladybug. We need you to find out who really is behind this attempt at my son’s life.”

While Gabriel had been talking, Marinette had already taken out her notepad and written down the name.

“I’ll look into it immediately. Is there anything else I need to know, such as death threats?” She looked between father and son, only to see one oblivious face and one stern and knowing.

“I’ve never heard of any death threats to anyone of-”

“I’ve received death threats but no one has ever threatened to kill Adrien, only threats of kidnapping and violence.” Adrien was cut off by Gabriel, and Marinette saw as the shock started forming on Adrien’s face. The shock quickly turned into anger.

“You’ve received THREATS? Not only towards you but ME AS WELL? Why haven’t you told me about this?!” Adrien stood up and practically shouted at Gabriel, who took off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“I didn’t want you to be scared when you were a child, and I… I.. I thought it was implied enough by you having a bodyguard at all times?”

Gabriel must have realized himself how bad his excuse sounded because he sunk down into his chair halfway through it, and sighed. Adrien responded by turning on his heels and storming out of the room. Marinette just sat there, feeling awkward having witnessed, what she personally thought, was a very private exchange. She cleared her throat, and Gabriel quickly straightened up in his chair, and put his glasses back on, fumbling a bit.

“So, threats. I’m going to need to see them. If they are digital, just print them out and give me copies please. It’s a good place to start. Is there anything else I need to know?”

Marinette went back to business, and it seemed to help put Gabriel a bit more at ease. He shook his head.

“No, I don’t think you’ll need anymore information until we know more.” Marinette nodded and rose from the chair.

“If that’s the case, I’ll get to work. I’ll let you know when I find anything. I’m going to find G-the bodyguard and have him let me out.” Marinette turned to make her way out of the office, but stopped in her tracks when Gabriel spoke.

“Actually, I have another task for you. Or, in a way it’s also a suggestion.” Marinette could hear how he got up from his chair and walked towards her, so she turned around to face him. She had gotten indecent proposals from clients before, so those words always put her on edge. But Gabriel looked just as professional as he usually looked.

“I want you to keep an eye on Adrien. Whenever Adrien has to leave the house, I want you to accompany him. Almost like a bodyguard, but instead you will look for suspicious behaviour from anyone around him. Michel, Adrien’s bodyguard, will also accompany you.”

Marinette blinked. This was… Kind of not her job, really. She was supposed to work from the shadows, but she supposed that had already been ruined by everyone knowing about Ladybug’s involvement in the case.

“Sir, that’s… A big task you’re giving me. And it’s going to be difficult to do it. I have a life outside of this, I have a home and I risk exposing it every time I leave or return as Ladybug. I don’t know if I can do it.” Marinette prepared for the possible backlash, but it didn’t come.

“That’s why I’ve prepared a room for you, here in the mansion. Leave your measurements to Nathalie and we will have everything you need here. You will dine with us, and can leave and return however you please as long as you notify any of the bodyguards. You may leave now, to notify relatives and friends of your absence, because your civilian self will be gone until this case is settled or your help isn’t necessary. Return tomorrow at ten. You will be given the threats then.” Gabriel returned to his chair, and made it clear that Marinette could leave, so she left the office, found Michel, and made her way back home.

“As much as I don’t like you being away from home that long when you’re working, it sounds like you will have to make the best out of the situation sweetheart.” Tom gave Marinette a supportive smile before stuffing his mouth full of food. Sabine nodded.

“Your father is right. Be positive though. You’ll get to hang out with Adrien a lot~”

Marinette practically choked on her food, while her mother only smiled teasingly.

“Mom! I’ll be working, I have to be professional! Besides, Adrien won’t know it’s me. I’ll wear my regular disguise and the mask at the mansion.” Marinette managed to squeak out a protest. Sabine chuckled, but winked at her, making Marinette blush.

“Your mother is right. And think of all the good food you’ll get to eat there! And you can have Adrien for dessert!”

“Dad!”

* * *

 

“Adrien. May I come in?”

“No, not yet.” Adrien was laying on his old bed, in his old room. He had calmed down a little by now, but not enough to be able to have the necessary conversation with his father yet. His father had received death threats. His father had received threats about him! Adrien understood his father’s reaction to him almost being killed a little bit better now. But he still didn’t understand why his father had hid them from him. At least not why he had hid them from them even when he had gotten older. Protecting a kid from those kind of things made sense, but Adrien was 20 years old. He could’ve been told the truth years ago. Maybe then he would’ve appreciated having Gorilla around a little more. He had been pondering on this for an hour, and he still didn’t know the answer. He assumed that Ladybug had left by now.

That was another shock from this day. Nino and him had been speculating and gossiping about the myth about Ladybug for almost a year, since they had first heard of her. In hindsight, his father being able to hire her wasn’t that weird, but still. He had not expected the private detective to be a living legend. And he had made a fool of himself in front of her and his father. He cringed when he thought of it. Adrien didn’t have any reason to get flustered when she joked with him; it wasn’t flirty or anything. Maybe his being flustered had something to do with how she had felt familiar to him in some way. But he wasn’t sure.

There was a knock on the door again.

“You can come in now.” Adrien spoke before his father had the chance to. Gabriel seemed to hesitate, and then he slowly opened the door and walked in. Adrien sat up in the bed, and Gabriel sat down next to him, putting his hands in his knees.

“I… I guess I owe you an explanation and an apology.” His father started, as he looked down on his hands.

“When you were younger, it was because it would be difficult for you to understand, and because… Because it could bring up past trauma…” Gabriel glanced on Adrien’s face, and could see the confusion.

“When you were three years old, you were almost kidnapped. Michel stopped the man, but it was traumatizing for you. You forgot it, as some kind of coping mechanism, and me and Adele were scared that you would be traumatized again if we reminded you. And when Adele disappeared… I couldn’t tell you that we weren’t sure how it happened. I think she left on her own, but no one knows for sure.” Gabriel became quiet for a second, letting Adrien take it all in. Then he continued.

“As you got older, I considered telling you the truth, and telling you of the threats I receive, but I know how much it has… Messed me up. I didn’t want you to be scared. I didn’t want you to worry about things happening to me. I…” Gabriel took a shaky breath.

“I should have told you. I… I was in the wrong. I’m sorry. I’m sorry Adrien.” He stood up.

“I’ll let you process it now. And also, Ladybug will move in while investigating our case. She’ll arrive tomorrow. Good night Adrien.” With those words, Gabriel left the room.

And Adrien was left to his own thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'M SORRY! I don't know if there's anyone who has been waiting for this update, but if there is, I'm so sorry! During May I was busy with school, but I don't really have any excuse for not writing during June...
> 
> I really have no clue where I'm heading with this story. I have like a plan for characters, but I don't know how, when or why yet, so uh yeah, that might take a while for me to figure out.
> 
> Oh and also I obviously don't have a consistent writing style, shiiiii-


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slides into your dms like a fuckboi* Heeeeyyyyyyyyyyyy

**Chapter 3**

Adrien awoke in the morning, not quite rested. He’d had weird dreams all night, about ladybugs, men in dark hoodies, Nino’s screaming, his father’s tears, and being kidnapped but saved by Gorilla. He wasn’t sure what parts were memories and what parts were fabricated by his mind, but nonetheless the dreams had woken him up several times during the night. _A shower might wake me up_ . As the water washed over him, Adrien further processed everything that had happened the day before. He was still shaken about the murder attempt, but he had calmed down somewhat. He really didn’t want to go outside anytime soon though. His father’s confession that Adrien had almost been kidnapped as a child was not as scary, as he really had no memories of it; no repressed memories had surfaced at the revelation, but the murder attempt did make him want to hide inside the house for a while. He was however not as mad with his father anymore; Gabriel’s honest and sincere apologies had made his anger fade away, and even though he didn’t like having been kept in the dark he kind of understood why his father had acted the way he had. What did make Adrien’s heart race was the fact that Ladybug would be staying at the mansion while investigating the case! She had really shaken him up, and he didn’t understand why. _My brain is all messed up. Just stop thinking for now_.

Adrien got out of the shower just in time to hear his phone buzz on his bed. He quickly dried his hands as he made his way out of the bathroom and to his bed. Nino’s face was filling the screen, and Adrien put him on speaker.

“Hey.”

“Hey, are you alright man?”

“As alright as I can be in this situation. Hey did I tell you I love you bro?”

“I love you too bro. Are you staying in the mansion for now or what?”

“Yeah. Father’s got the whole place on lockdown.”

“For once in my life I like his paranoia.”

“Yeah, me too. And you won’t able to guess who he has hired to investigate this.”

“Ladybug.”

“He has hired Ladyb- Wait why do you know this?”

“Are you kidding? Everyone knows. She walked on an open street on the way to your mansion yesterday, and Alya managed to get it in her paper, with a real nice photograph some bystander took.”

“Why am I not surprised Alya managed to do that?”

“Because she is the queen of Parisian journalism and Ladybug?”

“Oh yeah that’s why.”

“For real though, it’s so cool that she actually exists!”

“Alya?”

“Yes, I didn’t think my girlfriend of three years existed. Ladybug of course!”

“I know right? I embarrassed myself in front of her yesterday though.”

“Oh my poor sunshine boy. What did you do?”

“Let me tell you in person. Do you think you can come over for dinner? My father probably wants to thank you, and I want to see you. I bet Ladybug may want to talk to you as well.”

“For sure! Can I come over at 7?”

“Sounds good. I’ll let father know. I’ll tell you everything then.”

“See you then dude!”

“Bye!”

Adrien, having paced around the room drying himself with a towel while talking, walked back to the bed and hung up. Hearing Nino’s voice was calming, and he did actually feel ready to take on the day, whatever it entailed. He dressed and made his way to his father’s office to talk about dinner.

* * *

 

“Oh my god Alya, I know you are quick but this? I think you’ve broken several world records.”

Marinette stared in wonder at the papers in her hands. Alya just snickered and winked at her.

“Don’t underestimate what a computer-savvy journalist with lots and lots of contacts can do.”

“That would never befall me, my highness. I praise the ground you walk on.”

Alya rolled her eyes and playfully shoved Marinette’s shoulder, but then the smile left her face and she became all business.

“This is definitely fishy. If my sources are correct, he isn’t the type to do these kind of things. His codename is Copycat.”

“Copycat? That’s the only known henchmen of Hawkmoth, and from what I know, NOT the assassin in that group. Why would Hawkmoth send Copycat, and why send him after Adrien?”

“Well, it’s your job to figure that out. This is included in your files, but I also got the name of another henchman. You’re not going to like it.”

Marinette gave Alya a raised eyebrow, and Alya sighed.

“Apparently, Nathanaël Kurtzberg is one of Hawkmoth’s underlings.”

All the colour drained from Marinette’s face. _Nathanaël? How?_ Alya continued.

“I’ll look into it, but I can’t understand why Nathanaël would be a part of that crowd. It just seems so out of his character.”

“He was such a sweet guy when we knew him in school, could he have changed that drastically?”

“I don’t know, but if he tries to contact Adrien, be wary.”

Marinette nodded, still a little taken aback by the information. Alya smiled sympathetically, and hugged Marinette, before changing the subject.

“So, living with Adrien? Time to pounce on him, tigress!”

Marinette laughed.

“As if. I’ll be there as Ladybug, remember? It’s called work, and I won’t sacrifice my work ethics for a chance to start a relationship based on lies with Adrien.”

“Oh honey, you’ve been crushing on him for what, 6 years? I’m just saying, he’s single, you’re oh god so single, and you could hit it off!”

“No Alya, that’s not going to happen. I have to change and get going now, remember to tell Nino about me going away to visit relatives…”

“Relatives in China I know, I’ll text him once you’ve left. It’s time for you to become Ladybug now.”

With that, Marinette opened her bag and started the transformation. Dark brown contacts hid the bluebell eyes, a dark brown wig in a bob cut not only hid her very blueish hair, it also framed her face in different way than pigtails and bangs did. She donned her mask, coat and hat, and the transformation was complete. Alya looked at her with the same wonder as always.

“I know that it’s you, and I’ve said it a million times, but it’s scary how effective your disguise is. It doesn’t even look like your face!”

Marinette smirked at Alya.

“That’s the point of a disguise. And you needing five months to figure out it was me proves what a good disguise it is.”

Alya just huffed in response, and Marinette said her goodbyes, and left the building. Alya’s co-workers, who had come in for work after Marinette had arrived, were used to the sight of Ladybug leaving Alya’s office. Alya Césaire was the only journalist Ladybug would talk to, and no one knew why.

* * *

 

“Welcome, Ladybug. Michel will show you to your room.”

Gabriel Agreste himself had been there to receive Ladybug. Adrien had never experienced anything like it, and he was quite shocked by it. He couldn’t help but sneak glances at Ladybug as she followed Gorilla up the stairs and to her room. He turned to his father.

“I guess she’ll be at the dinner as well?”

“Yes, that’s quite right. She may be a living legend, but she needs food as much as we do.”

“Right.”

After that exchange, Adrien returned to his room, and Gabriel returned to his office, after having given Nathalie her orders.

In the meantime, Marinette was in her room, gawking at pretty much everything. The bed was huge, the bathroom was huge, the windows were huge, just, the room in general was huge. She had been in Adrien’s room before, when they were classmates, but she had expected a much, much smaller room. This room was almost as big as Adrien’s and Marinette was in shock. It took her ten minutes to gather herself and actually start unpacking. Not that she had brought much with her. There was the information from Alya, some handy equipment in case Marinette decided to… Visit someone unannounced. Not Adrien of course, get your head out of the gutter. But Marinette was a private detective, and most of the time she didn’t have to be legal with her ways of finding information, evidence or clues. She had her tools for unlocking doors and things like that. She also brought her trusty yo-yo. At first, she had brought it along on cases that included tailing people, or waiting. It had been a welcome distraction from boredom, a distraction that allowed her to keep her eyes peeled while doing something with her hands. She had discovered by mere chance that she could use it as a tool and weapon as well. So she had stopped using it to kill time and instead she upgraded it to be more useful. She put her tools and the yo-yo on the nightstand, and put all the sheets full of information on the desk. She hung up her coat in the wardrobe, along with the hat. She kept the other parts of her disguise on. Marinette was just about to start going over Alya’s information when Nathalie brought her the threats, and informed her to come down for dinner at 7.

* * *

 

It had taken her a good five hours, but Marinette had gotten through all of the threats. She had made four piles. The biggest pile was the one filled with what Marinette perceived as empty threats against Gabriel, threats that most likely wouldn’t be fulfilled. The next pile was filled with serious threats against Gabriel only, and it was the second biggest pile. The third pile was filled with threats against Gabriel’s family. Those threats weren’t as precise, and some were empty threats, and the pile was very small. But the smallest pile was the pile filled with threats against Adrien only. Even when counting empty threats, this pile was almost non-existing, compared to the other piles. And most were threats of violence or abduction, she could only find one death threat, and it was one year old. It didn’t make any sense to wait one year to put the threat into action, so Marinette ruled it out. Whoever wanted Adrien dead hadn’t sent any threats or warnings. As much as Marinette didn’t want to believe it, there was a large possibility Hawkmoth was the brain behind it all. _I don’t want to give up hope on him._

_I don’t want it to be him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time my excuse is work lmao.
> 
> Also I've come to the conclusion this is going to be a slow burn, whoops.
> 
> Don't worry though, I've got some evil plans for what will happen in this story. My plan is to make y'all hate me :D
> 
> Also I updated the tags :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do not murder me for changing characters, I'll be writing a lot of non-canonical stuff in this fic alright?
> 
> ALSO HEY GUYS I'M FUCKING TRASH AND THE WORST AT UPDATING

**Chapter 4**

Marinette had begun writing down her thoughts and theories in her notepad, trying to organize what she knew. She knew Théo Barbot was the one who had attacked Adrien, and that Barbot was a known underling of Hawkmoth, the until recently ONLY known underling, codename Copycat. While no one knew who the assassin in Hawkmoth’s group was, it certainly wasn’t Copycat. Barbot was known for his imitations and disguises, and was only known because he was the henchmen that spent the most time out on the field. It was definitely weird that Barbot had been sent to kill Adrien.

Alya’s files also confirmed that Nathanaël was one of Hawkmoth’s henchmen as well. Marinette doubted he was the assassin, as she remembered he wasn’t particularly athletic in school. That could have changed, but Marinette found it more likely that Nath was a forger, as the group had been known to forge paintings in a heist against this rich guy who collected art. She also wanted to believe that Nath wasn’t capable of physically hurting anyone.

Marinette definitely needed more clues. At the moment, she had three theories and they were all weak.

_First theory: Hawkmoth had sent Copycat to kill Adrien. Reasons why it was weak: Why would Hawkmoth send Copycat and not his assassin? Why would he want Adrien dead? To torment Gabriel? Why would Hawkmoth want to torment Gabriel?_

_Second theory: Barbot had gone after Adrien on his own accord. Reasons why it was weak: Why would Barbot attack Adrien? There was no evidence to link him to the Agreste family whatsoever. And why would Hawkmoth let his pawn go on his own accord?_

_Third theory: An unknown party hired Barbot for the attack. Reasons why it was weak: Hawkmoth would never let his underlings do any work for other parties. How could Barbot have escaped Hawkmoth’s control to do it? And why would anyone hire Barbot instead of a professional assassin?_

Marinette sighed. Her theories didn’t hold up. At least not at the moment. She would have to question Gabriel and Adrien at the dinner. Maybe they could give her answers to some of her questions.

* * *

Adrien was on his way to the front door immediately after he had heard the security systems go down(only temporarily, to let Nino in), but the bodyguard had gotten to Nino before Adrien, and was busy checking him for any hidden weapons. Once Gorilla was done, Adrien attacked Nino with a hug, and Nino hugged back tightly.

“Hey amigo, how are you doing?”

“Better now that you’re here.”

“Awww, you’re such a nerd.”

“Love you too bro. Dinner’s not ready yet, so let’s go to my room and talk.”

The two walked to Adrien’s room, and Nino immediately plopped down on Adrien’s bed.

“Soooo, what have you done?”

Adrien froze for a second, slightly confused until he remember what he had told Nino over the phone. He grimaced and sunk down in the chair by his desk.

“I made myself look really stupid in front of Ladybug AND my father.”

“Yeeees? Details dude. What exactly did you do?”

Adrien sighed dramatically and hid his face in his hands.

“I was staring when Ladybug came into my father’s office, and she joked about me never having seen a ladybug before, and my brain stopped functioning. Like full on stammer. You know how Marinette used to act around me when we were younger? I was like that, maybe worse. I WAS BLUSHING NINO. AND STAMMERING. IN FRONT OF MY FATHER AND LADYBUG.”

Adrien almost shouted the last bit, while Nino was laughing far too much. Adrien grunted.

“And on top of that I threw a hissy fit! Father has apparently received threats, and I got mad at him right there and then, in front of Ladybug! Like, it was a justified hissy fit, but still! I could have waited ‘til she left, but nooooo, my sweet-tempered manners just went flying out the window!”

During his recounting of the meeting, Adrien has gotten up from the chair and started pacing the room, frantically waving his hands around and grimacing. Nino was crying from laughter.

“Dude, dude, that, that’s amazing! I can’t believe the sunshine boy not only stammered in front of his new crush, he also lost his temper in front of her! Talk about a bad first impression!”

Nino started laughing again, and Adrien groaned and flopped down on the bed next to his friend.

“How am I going to be able to face her during the dinner?”

“Just calm down dude, she’s probably super-understanding about it! You were almost killed, you’re more than allowed to freak out and throw hissy fits.”

Nino had calmed down from laughing, and gave Adrien a reassuring hug.

“Thanks bro. Love you dude.”

“Love you too, dude.”

“And for the record I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON LADYBUG.”

“Whatever you say, man.”

* * *

Marinette made herself ready for the dinner. She double-checked in the bathroom mirror that her contacts covered her iris like it was supposed to, and that the wig looked like it should. The mask was still on, and hadn’t slided down or anything. Her disguise was perfect as it should be. Her plan was to keep a low profile during the beginning of the dinner, letting the Agrestes talk to each other and simply keep it casual. She wouldn’t start interrogate them until later during the dinner. She glanced at her phone. 6:55. She should head to the dining room, or at least find someone who could show her the way. Marinette took a deep breath, ready to take on her role as Ladybug, and stepped out of her room. Despite her alias, luck wasn’t on her side, as she walked straight into Adrien, who was on his way to the dining room as well, accompanied by Nino. Marinette fell backwards, cursing under her breath upon impact, but quickly composed herself and got back up on her feet. Adrien however, was not as composed.

“Oh my god I’m so sorry! A-are you alr-right?”

Adrien was blushing HARD. _That’s SO ADORABLE_. Marinette managed to keep her cool, and laughed it off.

“I’m alright thank you. No need to apologize, I walked into you, not the other way around.”

Marinette blushed maybe a little, before she realized Nino was there, fighting back his laughter the best he could. She feigned confusion and pointed at Nino for the sake of not giving any clues to her identity.

“Who are you?”

Nino straightened up, and held out his hand for a handshake.

“Nino Lahiffe. Adrien’s best friend. You probably know of my girlfriend, Alya Césaire.”

Ladybug shook Nino’s hand.

“Oh yes. I think she’s mentioned you before.”

Nino blushed a little bit at that. Ladybug continued.

“You’re the one who saved Adrien, right?”

Nino became more somber.

“Yeah, that’s right. I sure hope you find whoever did it.”

“I hope so too.”

“Well, let’s go have dinner then! Adrien, lead the way!”

During this whole exchange, Adrien still hadn’t managed to cool off and gather himself, so all he could do was nod at Nino, before leading them to the dining room. No, dining room wasn’t the right word. Dining hall was better. Because it was huuuuge. Marinette found herself stopping in the doorway and just gaping at the room. The table could easily fit like, 15-20 people. THERE WAS A FIREPLACE IN THERE TOO? Holy macaroni. Needless to say, Marinette was impressed as all hell. She managed to compose herself before it became too awkward, and walked up to the table. Gabriel was already seated at the head of the table, and Adrien sat on his left, and Nino sat next to Adrien. Marinette sat down to Gabriel’s right. There was an awkward silence for a couple of seconds, but Gabriel himself broke it.

“Thank you, monsieur Lahiffe. For saving my son’s life, and for being a good friend to him. I appreciate it.”

Nino was speechless, something neither Adrien nor Marinette had ever witnessed. Nino wasn’t exactly Gabriel’s favorite, and to receive that kind of… praise? Nino was in shock. Nino didn’t know if he could ever recover from this. Nino was broken.exe. He managed to stammer a thank you, and then he started nibbling on the food, which had been brought in during Gabriel’s short speech. They all started eating in silence. Marinette was perplexed. She was used to much livelier dinners at home, with talking and bickering. She had wanted to wait with her questions to not bring down the mood, but she guessed it wouldn’t make any difference if she waited or not at this point.

“I would like to ask you some questions. All three of you.”

Gabriel put down his cutlery, and Adrien and Nino followed suit, not sure what to do. Marinette turned to the Agrestes first.

“Have anyone of you heard of Théo Barbot earlier?”

Adrien shook his head. Gabriel did the same.

“No, I would’ve told you so earlier if we had any relations to him.”

“No relations to any Barbots? I’m thinking with your business, monsieur Agreste. You haven’t fired any Barbots from the company?”

“No, I have no Barbots working for me, and I have not let any employee go for a very long time.”

“That’s true, he must have broken a new record for the longest time gone without him firing anyone.”

Adrien’s joke earned him an unamused glance from his father. Marinette temporarily turned her attention to Nino.

“You don’t happen to know anything about Théo Barbot?”

“Nope.”

“And Adrien, you have not been in any fights? Broken any girls’ heart? Made any enemies?”

Adrien choked on his salad.

“Aurgh, n-no, not that I-I know of.”

_God the way he blushes right now is adorable and hilarious. No wait, focus Marinette!_

It became more and more unlikely that Barbot had acted on his own accounts. And another question had made its way to Marinette’s consciousness.

“Nino, could you please tell me, if Barbot was following Adrien or if he was already there, at the Eiffel tower when Adrien arrived?”

Nino blinked, surprised by the sudden question, but quickly regained himself.

“He was already there when I showed up. I had seen him before, but I didn’t pay much attention to him. Adrien ran past him when he arrived, and when Adrien slowed down, he started walking after him. That’s when I noticed him. I guess it’s kind of strange, that the dude waited like that? Anyway, I knocked him down right as he reached Adrien.”

Nino started eating again, obviously a bit uncomfortable talking about it. Marinette was really, really not happy about the next question she asked, and honestly, she dreaded the answer.

“Did you tell anyone about meeting Adrien there? At the Eiffel tower?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah, I told Alya, and I think I mentioned it to an old classmate. I ran into him like, the day before and we started talking. Small talk you know.”

“What’s the name of this old classmate?”

“Nathanaël Kurtzberg. Wait, do you think HE has anything to do with this?? Like, the dude wouldn’t harm a fly! There’s no way he could be involved.”

Marinette was barely listening to whatever Nino said, because his answer had confirmed her fear. Nath was involved. And if Nath was involved, Hawkmoth probably was too. But she was getting ahead of herself.

“Adrien, did you tell anyone about the meeting?”

Adrien didn’t choke this time.

“No, only an old classmate when I was on my way to the meeting. She can’t have anything to do with it, it was literally like 5, 10 minutes before I got there!”

Marinette’s heart sank. The old classmate was herself, which meant the only one who could’ve tipped off Barbot was Nath. It was Hawkmoth. It had to be Hawkmoth. _Damn it. Why?_ She turned her attention back to Gabriel.

“Have you ever heard of Hawkmoth?”

Gabriel sighed.

“I hired him to investigate my wife’s disappearance. You know, before he…”

Ladybug nodded. Gabriel continued.

“That’s the only contact I’ve ever had with him. I guess there’s a possibility I might have met him as a civilian, but I wouldn’t know. Do you think he is behind all of this?”

“The evidence suggests so. No one knows Hawkmoth’s real identity, there’s no way of knowing his motives for trying to hurt your family. You’ll have no choice but to stay here, and do your best to keep people out until I have found his identity.”

Ladybug sighed. This was not a case she was looking forward to.

And as it later turned out, it was her last case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BROMANCE BROMANCE BROMANCE BROMANCE BROMANCE BROMANCE BROMANCE BROM-


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slides into your dms like a fuckboy* Heyyyyyyyyyyyy *continue sliding into a trashcan*

**Chapter 5**

The dinner continued in a silent and somber manner. No one was interested in talking, and Marinette had no more questions. She just wanted to get back to her room and get to work, and at the moment she felt broken. Adrien was lost in thoughts, once more thinking about Barbot’s murder attempt. Nino too was thinking, about Nathanaël. Ladybug hadn’t denied Nath’s possible involvement, and Nino definitely had noticed that. What if Nath was with this Hawkmoth-dude, and that’s why Barbot had been waiting at the Eiffel tower? He couldn’t eat anymore food. His appetite had been replaced with a growing ball of guilt. If he had kept his mouth shut when talking to Nath, Adrien wouldn’t have almost been killed.

Gabriel noticed that none of the young adults in front of him were very interested in the food. Even Lahiffe, who Gabriel knew usually ate like a horse, was ignoring his food. He sighed, and stood up.

“I think we’ll have to cut dinner short. No one is in the mood for food.”

All of the youths jumped as they were woken from their thoughts. They watched as Gabriel walked out of the dining hall, and then they curiously looked at each other. Adrien was shocked to realize that Nino had barely touched his food, and Nino noticed how worry was written in Adrien’s face. Marinette decided to give them some space and also sort out her own thoughts, and almost knocked over the chair when she stood up.  _ What a time to be clumsy, Marinette _ .

“I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

Adrien and Nino nodded as to acknowledge her, before she disappeared. They turned to each other.

“Nino, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing bro, I’m alright.”

“Alright?? ALRIGHT? You have barely touched the food.”

“I’m not that hungry.”

“Dude, you’re always hungry.”

Nino sighed, and gave in.

“I’m sorry, you’re right. It’s just… If Nathanaël told Hawkmoth about our meeting, then it’s my fault what happened. If I hadn’t told Nath then you would have been safe.”

He began to tear up a little, and Adrien’s heart broke. He pulled Nino in for a hug.

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t know. Hawkmoth would have found another opportunity, an opportunity from which you couldn’t have saved me. Don’t blame yourself.”

Nino tried to fight back the tears.

“I get what you’re saying, but I can’t help it!”

He lost the fight, and the tears began to fall. Adrien hugged Nino closer. He realized there was nothing he could do to ease the guilt his friend was feeling, so he stayed silent. Nino tried to compose himself a little.

“I just, I don’t know what I would’ve done. If you, if you…”

Nino couldn’t even finish the sentence before he broke down again. Honestly, until now, the murder attempt had only felt like a nightmare. It became painfully real now that Nino was in the Agreste mansion, being interrogated by Ladybug and talking to Adrien about it. He just hadn’t properly processed it before, but now he was forced to. He couldn’t pretend like it was a bad dream he could forget about. His best friend was in danger and he couldn’t protect his sunshine boy.

He kept crying.

* * *

Marinette was crying in her room. She had headed to the dinner with a small sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe Hawkmoth wasn’t involved in this case. But there was no other way. All signs pointed to it. And it hurt so much.

* * *

_ “I’m sorry to bail on you like this, but I just really need to get the hell out of here.” _

_ “Marinette…” _

_ “Don’t ‘Marinette’ me with those puppy eyes Alya, it won’t work. Go find Nino or something. I’m not good company right now.” _

_ “You shouldn’t let it get to you! Don’t let Chloé win!” _

_ “As if I’m even competition.” _

_ With that, Marinette stormed off into the night. The evening had started off amazing. Chloé’s masquerade party had actually been pretty fun, and Marinette had enjoyed it immensely, though that might have had something to do with the drinks she’d had before the party. She had made a dress inspired by ladybugs, with a cute mask to put over her eyes. She had also made Alya’s (a fox-inspired costume) and Nino’s (why turtles Nino, why turtles?) costumes, and whenever someone had complimented any of the costumes she had beamed with pride. _

_ However, it took a pretty sour turn when Marinette saw Chloé and Adrien making out. _

_ Marinette had already accepted that Adrien would never think of her as more than a friend, and her crush had gone away. Or so she thought. In that moment, she could hear her heart shatter into a million pieces, and all she could do was run away from there, away from the party. _

_ Which, as it turns out, put her in quite a dangerous situation. _

_ “It’ll be quick mademoiselle, don’t try to fight back.” _

_ Of course, Marinette fought back pretty damn well. _

* * *

_ “So mademoiselle, I know you’re tired and probably want to go home, but could you please just give me your name, age and how to contact you, and we’ll do the rest of the paperwork tomorrow, when you’re more alert.” _

_ “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, age 18, and this is my phone number.” _

_ Marinette reached over to nick a pen from the officer, and wrote down her number on a small piece of paper. She had given her account of what had happened, and the bruises on her hands had been photographed. She still had her costume on, as she had no clothes to change into. At this point, she really just wanted to go home. Once the officer gave her permission to leave, she got up, and headed to the exit. However, she just happened to hear parts of a conversation, and couldn’t help but to linger and eavesdrop. _

_ “...could you be sure? There’s no concrete evidence to suggest the chef stole the keycard, much less the diamonds!” _

_ “He found the keycard, didn’t he?” _

_ “Yes, but he hid it in a book, so it wouldn’t get lost.” _

_ “Between what pages?” _

_ “Between page 49 and 50, we’ve already been over this!” _

_ “It’s impos…” _

_ “It’s impossible to put anything between page 49 and 50 in a book.” _

_ Before Marinette had realized it, she had butted into the conversation, and the two men stared at her. One in confusion, and the other one in… Appreciation? Either way, she could feel her cheeks burn. _

_ “That’s correct. Wherever you open up a book, the left side is an even number, and the right side is an odd number, therefore it’s impossible to put anything between page 49 and 50. Good thinking, mademoiselle Ladybug.” _

_ The man smiled softly at Marinette, and she only now took the opportunity to notice how much this person stood out. He was wearing a lilac suit, with a butterfly brooch, a black top hat, a black cane with silver details, and a silver mask. The other man was a regular cop, but this… Gentleman, certainly wasn’t. His ice blue eyes were very observant, and it almost felt like he could see right through her, if he wanted to. _

_ “Thank you, monsieur… Butterfly?” _

_ Marinette answered him, not as confident as she wanted to sound. The man laughed in a friendly manner. _

_ “Not butterfly, no, but I understand why you’d think so. In fact, it would be the most logical name for me. No, I go by the name Hawkmoth, young lady. I’m a private detective. You seem pretty sharp, especially since it’s 4 in the morning and you’ve been drinking.” _

_ Marinette could feel the red on her cheeks darken even more. He had noticed that? Well, she guessed it was pretty easy for a detective to notice that kind of thing. She tried to put on a more confident air. _

_ “Maybe I’m sharp, maybe I’m not. Does it matter?” _

_ Hawkmoth chuckled heartily at Marinette’s retort. _

_ “Why, I’ve been looking for a new colleague, Ladybug. It matters to me if you’re sharp or not. How about becoming my apprentice? I’ll teach you everything I know.” _

_ “What’s in it for you?” _

_ “I get to pass down my knowledge and secure my legacy.” _

_ “Hah, sure thing. Hold on, I’ll give you my number.” _

_ Honestly, Marinette was still a bit drunk. She definitely wouldn’t have done this if she was sober. But sure enough, she got hold of a pen and a piece of paper, wrote down her number, and gave it to Hawkmoth before walking out of the police station. _

_ The morning after, she headed back to the police station, and gave the officer working with her case the information he needed. _

_ Once she got back home, she got the call. _

~

Marinette got the contact lenses out, threw off her wig and her mask, and then she collapsed in bed, and continued crying, until she fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm the worst but
> 
> SOOOO, finally some Ladybug backstory eh?
> 
> Also I'd like to point out that yes, I have watched all the available episodes from season 2, but season 2 won't really affect this story, because this story was never really canon, and it will continue to not be canon. Just so y'all know.  
> (so please don't yell at me for changing characters very dramatically)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANOTHER UPDATE? ONLY 8 DAYS AFTER THE LAST ONE?
> 
> (no I'm not dying, and I'm not being held at gunpoint, I just felt inspired to actually write)
> 
> This is more of a filler chapter, and it's a bit shorter than usual, hope you don't mind!

**Chapter 6**

_ “Please don’t tell me you only own one suit.” _

_ “Pleased to meet you too, Ladybug. Don’t worry, I have several suits, but they all look the same.” _

_ “Like some kind of superhero.” _

_ Hawkmoth chuckled. _

_ “We’re not superheroes. But yes, I have my trademark outfit. If I wore regular clothes it would be easier for people to find out my identity. I suggest you create an outfit of your own, mademoiselle. The mask is good, but your clothes… Well, they’re anonymous, but…” _

_ “But I look like a burglar?” _

_ Marinette put her hands on her hips in a defiant manner. Hawkmoth smiled, amused. _

_ “That’s one way to put it. You also need to do something about your eyes.” _

_ “My eyes? What’s wrong with my eyes?” _

_ “Nothing’s wrong with them, it’s just that they’re very… Well, unique. I doubt there are many young women of Asian heritage with bright blue eyes in Paris. It could compromise your identity and put you at danger. That is, if you are sure you want to become my apprentice. Remember, you may back out of this whenever you want.” _

_ “Yeah yeah, you’ve told me already. I didn’t realize how unusual it is to have my eye colour, you’re right. I’ll probably buy coloured contacts or something.” _

_ Hawkmoth nodded in approval. _

_ “Good. Depending on what level of caution you want to take, wigs can really change the way your face looks.” _

_ “Wait, really?” _

_ “Yes. A different style and haircut frames your face differently than your regular hairstyle. But that’s just an extra precaution.” _

_ Marinette had brought a notepad, and began writing down all the things she had to prepare for this job. She had decided to take on Hawkmoth’s offer after a few days of deep thought. What made her say yes was the prospect of being able to help people, but also because she craved a bit of excitement in her life. Living with her parents, helping in the bakery, sewing clothes for herself but also for whoever was willing to buy her designs, studying, it all got a bit boring and her days were so stuck in a routine that her mind was slowly rotting away. She did have a lot of work on her plate already, but that’s why this “hobby” was so fitting. Hawkmoth wouldn’t need her to be with him in person all the time, and he would be able to work alone whenever she was too busy to help. She would also get a share of the rewards for solving a case, proportional to how much she helped solve it. _

_ In other words, it was a great challenge intellectually, and she would also get paid on occasion. _

_ “So I’m guessing I shouldn’t tell everyone I know that I’m going to be a detective on the side?” _

_ “It would definitely be safer for you to keep quiet about it, yes. Things might not get dangerous for you right now, but being my apprentice will certainly bring a lot of attention your way eventually, and it helps keep the people you care about safe as well if they don’t know about your double life.” _

_ “It’s going to be difficult to keep this away from my parents.” _

_ “I understand. In the end, it’s up to you to decide who you want to share your secret with. In the end, I’m not forbidding you to tell anyone. I’m just telling you to be careful, Ladybug.” _

_ “So you’re not going to get mad if I tell my parents?” _

_ Hawkmoth smiled gently. _

_ “Of course not.” _

_ Marinette looked curiously at the man in front of her. He was about her father’s age, maybe a few years younger. He was tall, and kept in shape. But that was about as much as she could figure out just by looking at him. Hawkmoth certainly knew how to avoid giving any visual clues. His voice was slightly monotone, but still soft and gentle. His accent was also very confusing, because it was so neutral. She couldn’t tell where in France he was from. She really knew nothing about him, and yet she had decided to trust him and become his apprentice. _

_ “Will you ever tell me your identity?” _

_ The question was simple enough, but Hawkmoth sank into deep thought, trying to decide on an answer. _

_ “I don’t know.” _

_ Marinette furrowed her eyebrows at the answer. Hawkmoth chuckled. _

_ “Ladybug, ask me again when you’ve been my apprentice for a year. I might have an answer then.” _

* * *

_ When Marinette had been Hawkmoth’s student for eleven months, she started counting the days. She wanted to know, if he would ever tell her his identity. _

_ Three days before one year had passed, Hawkmoth disappeared. _

_ Two days before one year had passed, Master Fu, Hawkmoth’s friend and old teacher, told Ladybug that Hawkmoth had gone rogue. _

_ One day before one year had passed, a group robbed a bank, and left a message behind, telling Paris that they were Hawkmoth’s underlings. _

_ On the day when Marinette was supposed to ask Hawkmoth the question, she got a phone call. _

_ “I’m sorry Ladybug. You’ll never see me again.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to get the rest of Ladybug's origin story out of the way, and decided to dedicate a whole chapter to it! I also wanted to build the Hawkmoth character a bit more (he's obviously VERY different from Hawkmoth in the actual show, please don't kill me for it). There will be more about Hawkmoth later on in the story, but for now this will do. In the next update we'll get back to the main story :)
> 
> (Warning: Next chapter might not come out until next year because I'm an ass.)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE, I MANAGED TO WRITE ANOTHER CHAPTER BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR
> 
> (can y'all smell the determination and frenzy as I maniacally wrote this despite writer's block?)
> 
> HAPPY HOLIDAYS <3

**Chapter 7**

_ My life is a mess _ .

This was Adrien’s thought as he woke up in the morning. During these past two (!) days, he had almost gotten killed, his father had shown him affection, he had met Ladybug, he had been witness to Nino crying, he had heard Ladybug cry, he had cried himself, and he had feared for his father’s and everyone around him’s lives. He decided to detangle all of this and make a list of what had happened each day so far, if only to keep himself sane.

_ Day 1 of this craziness - Nino saved my life. My dad hugged me as he was crying. We went to the police station. I met Ladybug (and made a fool of myself in front of her). I found out about the threats. My dad apologized. _

_ Day 2 of this craziness - Ladybug “moved in.” My dad thanked Nino. Nino broke down in front of me. I heard Ladybug cry when I headed to my room for the night. _

How had all of this happened in only two days?

Making this mental list had cleared his head a little, at least. He picked up his phone, and quickly sent a text to Nino, just to check in with him. His poor DJ had been so wracked with guilt, and they had sat in the dining hall for hours before Nino had seemed fine again. Adrien hoped that Nino truly was fine. Guilt was an irrational feeling, but all he could do was hope that rational thought could get rid of it. He decided to stop worrying about Nino for now, and turned his mental energy to another matter.

Adrien was curious about something. Ladybug had been crying last night, when he passed by her room. He wondered why. Was it something about the case? Something in her personal life? It made him sad to know that those brown eyes had been stained with tears. It was a strange picture though, because Adrien had found that those eyes looked rather… Lifeless? It was as if the iris was glazed over, like a doll’s eyes. Ladybug’s eyes were mismatched with the rest of her, lively and energetic.

Another mystery was Adrien’s attraction to her (Yes, he had admitted it to himself before he had fallen asleep the night before). He couldn’t quite understand why he felt so drawn to Ladybug. She had some nice features, true, but her eyes didn’t match with the rest of her face, and the rest of her face didn’t seem to match with her hair. Some of her features were just so mismatched that it made it difficult for Adrien to even remember clearly what her face looked like. It was as if…

_ Oh. _

It suddenly dawned on Adrien why her features didn’t match up.

_ She’s wearing a disguise. Contacts? Maybe some prosthetic makeup? It had to be something like that. _

See, now he was even more curious, knowing that she didn’t show her real features. Ladybug truly was a mystery, maybe that’s why he was drawn to her? Whatever the case, he wanted to get to know her better. He decided to get ready for the day.

* * *

Marinette’s eyes had been hurting like hell when she woke up. At first, she freaked out and thought that she had forgotten to take her contacts out, but she quickly realized it was because of how much she had cried the night before. She decided not to dwell in bed, and got up and immediately headed for the shower, the water soothing her puffy eyes. When she was done, she quickly dried off and put on her disguise. She decided to kill two birds with one stone, and left her room to explore the mansion and find somewhere to sit down and plan her next steps of action.

After wandering around the mansion for what felt like an hour, Marinette finally found a music room, with a big piano and a very calming air. She sat down by a window, and started writing.

* * *

Adrien was just about to go look for Ladybug, when his computer lit up, and a ringtone started playing. Adrien saw the name on the monitor, and facepalmed at his own stupidity and carelessness, before he went to answer the Skype call. Chloé Bourgeois’ face filled the screen.

“ADRIEN. WHAT THE FUCK?? WHAT THE FUCK???”

“Hi Chlo.”

Adrien sheepishly scratched his neck.

“Excuse me??? ‘Hi Chlo?’ ‘HI CHLO?’ THAT’S HOW YOU GREET ME AFTER NOT TELLING ME YOU WERE ALMOST MURDERED?”

At this point, Chloé was almost crying, and Adrien felt that a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry Chloé, I just kind of…”

“Forgot? Are you about to tell me you FORGOT to tell me about this failed murder attempt? ADRIEN I swear to god choose your words carefully or there will be a successful murder attempt once I get back to France.”

“Chlo…”

“Don’t ‘Chlo’ me Agreste!”

“Chloé I’m sorry. There’s been a lot of things going on. Honestly, I wanted to spare you the worry.”

Adrien knew that it sounded lame, but it was true. Chloé had developed a habit to worry about him when she moved to the US, and she was almost worse than his father.

However, despite the lame-sounding excuse, Chloé’s expression softened.

“I’m sorry Adrien, I didn’t mean to yell at you. It’s just… It freaked me out a lot when I first heard about it, okay? Especially hearing it from someone who’s not you. I thought you had actually been murdered when dad told me the news. It scared me shitless. Not literally though.”

Adrien smiled softly at the webcam.

“You’re right, I should’ve told you. Things have been crazy. I’ve learned new things about father, Nino was a mess, and to top it all of father hired Ladybug!”

“I heard about that! Gosh, Ladybug is so cool, and have you seen that picture from Alya’s article about it? Like, I don’t like her but her articles on Ladybug are bomb, and the picture? Full-on ladyboner alert!”

While talking, Chloé had started clicking her way to something on her computer, and before she even finished talking Adrien had received a link to an article, and when he opened it up there she was.

“Hello? Earth to Adrien, do you copy?”

Adrien realized that his mouth had hung open from the moment he laid eyes on the picture. He closed his mouth and swallowed.

“She’s really beautiful in that picture.”

“I know right? Like, this just further confirms how bi I am. But you just said she was beautiful in the picture, isn’t she in real life as well?”

“I mean, it’s not that she isn’t beautiful, but her features don’t really match you know? I think she wears contacts and stuff to hide her real face.”

“Of course she’s wearing a disguise! People like her make enemies, and her enemies are probably a bit more morally corrupt that other people.”

Huh, Adrien hadn’t thought about that. Chloé was apparently full of wisdom today.

“Anyway, how are you? And how is Sabrina?”

“I’m better know that I know you’re somewhat okay. Sabrina is really enjoying her English classes! She’s probably going to take up some geography classes as well.”

“That’s great! How are you enjoying school though?”

Chloé sighed.

“It’s honestly a bit meh. Business is interesting, but a bit difficult. I’m a bit too bossy.”

Adrien feigned surprise.

“What? Chloé Bourgeois is too bossy? I had no idea!”

Chloé just rolled her eyes at him.

“Har har, you’re soooo funny Adrien. I’m…”

Chloé yawned, interrupting herself.

“Wait, isn’t it like, super late in the US right now?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep because of the news and decided to call you.”

“Go to sleep then! We can talk later Chloé, but go to sleep now!”

“Fine fine, bye Adrien, talk to you later!”

“Bye Chloé, sweet dreams.”

Adrien ended the call. Chloé seemed to be in good spirits, and he couldn’t help but feel happy at that. She had been a bit sad during her first months in a foreign country, but eventually she had gotten rid of the homesickness.

Anyway, Adrien had spent enough time on Chloé. Now to resume his previous plan and find Ladybug. His first destination was her room; There was no answer when he knocked, so he assumed that she wasn’t there. His second destination was his father’s office, but when he eavesdropped he could only hear his father speak to Gorilla. Over the years, Adrien had come to the realization that Gabriel and Gorilla were surprisingly close, even closer than Gabriel and Nathalie. But Gorilla had worked for the family for as long as Adrien could remember, so maybe it wasn’t that surprising.

Adrien kept on searching the mansion, until he found her in the music room. She had fallen asleep by a large window, and the bright sun made her shine. Adrien inspected her face. No prosthetics, it seemed. Maybe it was the hair? She looked so peaceful, and yet he could see that her eyes were slightly puffy, no doubt a result of the crying he had heard last night. She looked like a soft fairy, like she would shatter if he as much as breathed on her, like she was a dream, a fantasy. There was a part of him, a part that he was not proud of, who wanted to take off her mask and her wig (?) and see what she really looked like, but that was very much a breach of privacy, and Adrien stilled his impulses. Instead, he decided to sit down by the piano, and started playing in order to busy his fingers. His fingers, as is inspired by the sight in front of him, started playing Lizst’s Lieblingstraum, softly and gently, as to not wake her up.

* * *

Soft piano tunes filled Marinette’s ears. For a little while, she kept her eyes closed, desperately trying to escape back into that lovely dream she just had, but soon the rational part of her mind began questioning where the music was coming from. As she became more awake, she started remembering the window in the music room, and her eyes quickly opened. There, on a stool by the piano, she saw Adrien. He sat in shadow, eyes almost closed as he produced the music Marinette had been hearing in her dream. He seemed almost in trance, and Marinette couldn’t help but to stare at him. The young man was so beautiful, but he also seemed so tired. It felt as if he would collapse if she as much as breathed on him. There was a part of her that wanted to hug him close, and tell him to sleep and find peace with her, but she also knew that it would never happen. Even so, time seemed to be frozen, like magic, while Adrien played the piano and Marinette admired him with pity and amazement.

Then her pen fell from her lap, and the magic was gone.

Adrien’s trance broke, and he looked up at Ladybug, who was staring straight into his eyes.

For a second, she lost her cool.

“Uh-uh-uh I-I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to you ogle I MEAN to ogle you, N-NO I mean… I didn’t mean to ogle you while you were playing, sorry!”

For a second, Marinette was back to her stammering, so-in-love-with-Adrien-it’s-not-even-funny, younger self, but she did get her Ladybug-cool back.

Adrien stared at her, cheeks almost as red as a ladybug, and then he started laughing. Marinette could just stare, mortified.  _ Mon dieu, I can never show my face again. Dishonor on me, dishonor on my cow. _

Marinette’s mortification seemed to be written on her face, and Adrien calmed his laughter.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… That was so  _ cute _ , I didn’t expect that from someone as cool as you!”

Adrien smiled brightly at Ladybug, and Marinette almost melted. 

_ Mon dieu, he’ll be the death of me _ .

She quickly recomposed herself, and put on what she hoped was a confident smile.

“Don’t worry, I did really make a fool of myself just now. You’re really good with the piano huh?”

At this, Adrien’s bluch finally reached ladybug-red.

“Th-thank you! I-I wanted to t-talk to you so I decided to play while I waited for you to wake up.”

_ STOP BEING SO CUTE. _

“Oh? You could’ve just woken me up Adrien, I don’t need any more beauty sleep.”

“No you surely don’t.”

Marinette gaped at Adrien’s comment, not quite able to process what he just said, while Adrien literally had to walk out of the room.

“A-A-ADRIEN?”

Marinette could only shriek, as she heard thuds against the door.

“I DIDN’T MEAN TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD.”

Adrien’s voice was muffled by the door, but she could hear him very clearly. Now she was the one laughing instead. Adrien carefully opened the door and peaked inside.

“Is my embarrassment that amusing to you?”

“Yes!”

Marinette managed to squeal out an answer in-between laughing fits. Adrien eventually joined in, and soon they were two laughing messes rolling on the floor. Whenever they managed to calm down, they would glance at each other and start laughing again. Eventually, they calmed down, and Marinette sat up and held out a hand to Adrien.

“Hi, I’m Ladybug. I think we’re done being awkward around each other now, don’t you think?”

Adrien took her hand and shook it. It was warm and made Marinette feel all tingly.

“Hi Ladybug, I’m Adrien, and I think you’re right.”

They giggled at each other but then quieted down and sat in a strange but comfortable silence, none of them letting go of the other’s hand.

_ This is nice, but I’m not here to woo Adrien. Time to get back to business. _

Marinette let go of Adrien’s hand, and he looked so dejected, which made Marinette almost punch herself in the face. She cleared her throat.

“You said earlier that you wanted to talk to me? What’s up?”

The dejected look in Adrien’s eyes was swapped for a very intense, determined look.

“Please let me be your apprentice.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY SO I know I said there would be more plot in this chapter, and while yeah there is some, I also had to include Chloé because I literally forgot about her for six chapters. I had planned to include that skype call earlier but then I forgot and yeah. Also I found an opportunity to write some Ladrien so enjoy that ;D
> 
> In case y'all don't know, "Lieblingstraum" basically means "favourite dream" (ish, I can't come up with a better translation right now, forgive me) and the piece is SO BEAUTIFUL, IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT BEFORE YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON SOME NICE MUSIC.
> 
> Anyways, this chapter I guess is a bit of a gift for y'all during the holidays, I hope you enjoy it! It's probably going to be a while before I write the next chapter, hope you don't mind the wait!
> 
> ALSO A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU LOVELIES WHO GIVE ME KUDOS AND WRITE COMMENTS, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AND THE SUPPORT YOU GIVE THIS FIC ALMOST MAKES ME CRY. I LOVE YOU.


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